GENEVA, Dec 4 (Bernama-Anadolu) — The Arab region faced its hottest year on record in 2024, with temperatures rising at twice the global average and extreme weather causing mounting social and economic disruption, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported, citing the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on Thursday.
The first State of the Climate in the Arab Region report released by the WMO said the rate of warming has accelerated in recent decades, driving longer and more intense heatwaves, severe droughts, and destructive rainfall events.
These threats are compounding existing challenges, including rapid urbanisation, conflict, poverty, and population growth, in one of the world’s most water-scarce regions.
The report, produced in collaboration with the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia and the League of Arab States, aimed to support decision-making in a region comprising 15 of the world’s most water-stressed countries.
“2024 was the hottest year on record for the Arab region – a continuation of a long-term trend. Temperatures are rising at twice the global average, with intense heatwaves that are pushing society to the limits,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said.
“Human health, ecosystems and economies can’t cope with extended spells of more than 50 °Celsius (122°F), it is simply too hot to handle.”
The region’s average temperature in 2024 was 1.08 °C above the 1991-2020 average, with several countries surpassing 50 °C in 2024.
Drought deepened across western North Africa after six failed rainy seasons, while extreme rainfall and flash floods struck arid states, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, the report noted.
Nearly 3.8 million people were affected by extreme events in 2024, which resulted in more than 300 deaths, mainly due to heatwaves and floods.
According to the report, multi-hazard early warning systems now cover nearly 60 per cent of Arab countries, above the global average, though still insufficient.
Looking ahead, climate models project that average temperatures could rise by up to 5 °C by the end of the century under high-emission scenarios.
“Climate models covering the Arab region project a potential rise in average temperatures of up to 5°C by the end of the century under high-emission scenarios,” said Rola Dashti, the executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.
The WMO said several states are prioritising water security measures, including desalination, wastewater reuse, and improved irrigation networks, as rising sea levels and declining rainfall threaten food production and coastal cities.
— BERNAMA-ANADOLU